(a) sudan çıkmış, suyun dışında, karada, kupkuru yerde. 
 The fish was high and dry on the beach.  (b) yalnız, kimsesiz, çaresiz, nâçar. 
 leave someone high and dry: birini yüzüstü bırakmak, kendi kaderine terketmek. 
 He has left me high and dry with all this work to do. He took all the money and left me high and dry.